Packing



Jan. 24, 1939. J w MacCLATQl-[IE 2,144,736

PACKING Filed July 2, 1935 INVENTOR. JZ/m nfmm Wu:

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ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 24, 1939 2,144,736

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PACKING John W. MacClatchie, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to MacClatchie Manufacturing Company of California, Compton, Calii'., a corporation of California Application July 2, 1935, Serial No. 29,49'Z

7 Claims. (Cl. 30923) This invention relates to means for packing a packing element includes a yieldable packing pump piston or other device adapted for recipannulus 4- which may be rubber or suitable comrocation in a cylinder and including yieldable position, and the flange 3 forms a longitudinal packing adapted for sealing contact with the backing for each packing element on its pressure cylinder wall; and it is the object of the invenstroke.

tion to maintain sealing contact of the yieldable Means may be provided for preventing exces Decking d g a pressure stroke, and on the sive distortion of the inner end of each packing suction stroke to limit radial contraction of the annulus on the suction stroke of the packing elepacking so that it may yield only sufliciently t ment of which it forms a part, and for this purprevent excessive frictional contact with the pose a reinforcement plate 5 may form a part 0 Cylinder Well, With o Possibility of the backing of each packing element, being preferably fixed b in drawn away from the yl d w l t a to the inner end of the packing annulus 4 and degree permitting abrasives to lodge between the adapted to abut the flange 3 as shown at Fig. 1.

packing and the cylinder wall. The packing annulus 4 may be molded to the More particularly t S t e j c of the reinforcement plate 5, and the periphery of the Vention to Provide a follower for the y e dab e reinforcement plate is preferably longitudinally p preferably di e fl P ess from flanged as shown at B so as to overlie the periphthe yl der a t the yieldable pa on the ery of the radial flange 3. The reinforcement p e Stroke fo maintaining sealing Contact plate 5 of each packing element is of a material with the cylinder wall, with the follower forming such as rass; whereby it has some inherent fiexian abutment for the yieldable peeking whereby bility accommodating it to normal pressure re th pa ki may preferably yield on the sponsive distortion of its yieldable packing all-- tion stroke to a limited degree such as will avoid 11111115 4, b t also having such inherent rigidity excessive frictional contact, but with the abutas will prevent excessive distortion t t inner ment opposing any tendency toward excessive end of its yieldable packing annulus on the suc- 25 radial contraction of the yieldable packing such t stroke of t packing l t of hi h it as might space the packing from the cylinder forms t wall to a degree permitting abrasives to lodge The packing elements r ecured on hub I by between the yieldable packing d t eyhnder follower plates 1 which are mounted on the pis- 9 Wallton rod 2 at the outer ends of the respective It is a further object of the invention to propacking elements; and i t il t t dl- Vide longitudinal backing for the yieldable D ment the parts are held in assembled relation ing, cooperating with the follower so that the by wedging one of th follower plates on the p cking may be longitudinally compressed to a iston rod as shownat 8, with the hub l clamped degree insuring its radial expansion for sealing between thefollower plates as h w at 9, and 35 Contact w the cylinder Wall on the pressure with the other follower plate secured on the pisstroke, and also cooperating with the follower to ton rod by a retaining t lo d a, l k ut ll, prevent such distortion of the yieldable packing The f ll w r plates 1 j t radially beyond durin h Suctlon Stroke as mlght pfarmit lodge the hub I so as to longitudinally engage the outer e of abrasives between the Packmg and the ends of the yieldable packing annuli 4, in order 0 Cylinder Wailto clamp the packing elements against the radial Further objects of the invention will be readily flange and the follower plates are referably understood from the following description of the. so arranged that on the pressure stroke of each accompanying drawing, in which: i packing element the fluid pressure mamtans a i g fi' 12 52223 mbody sealing contact by the yieldable packing. The i 13232 3 5 2:2 1 iston arrangement of the follower plates is also such p that during the suction stroke of each packing Fi 3 i a dia ram ill tratin the o eration of tie yieldable jacking. g p element, the outer perpihery of its yieldable The invention is illustrated embodied in a Packing annulus is preferably adapted for 5111011 60 double acting piston, which may comprise a b limited radial contraction as will eliminate ex- I mounted on a piston rod 2 with a packing elecessive frictional contact, but with the yieldable ment mounted on the hub at each side of the pa u s p i ively held a t $i1oh radial flange 3 which may project integrally contraction as would space it from the cylinder from the hub l intermediate of its ends, Each wall to a degree permitting lodgement of abrasives between the yieldable packing annulus and the cylinder wall.

As an instance of this arrangement the outer peripheral portions of packing annuli 4 are longitudinally extended as shown at [5 so as to form cup-shaped packing annuli with the inner surfaces of the side walls of the cups flaring as shown at l5a, and the rims of these cup-shaped packing annuli form annular plane abutment surfaces It which are of appreciable radial width and which are inclined somewhat toward the bottoms of the cup-shaped packing annuli as shown at Fig. 1. The abutment surfaces IS thus form angles with the longitudinal axis of the piston which are somewhat less than angles of ninety degrees, e. g. angles in the neighborhood of sixty-five degrees.

The follower plates 1 include abutment plates or discs 1a which engage the bottoms of the cupshaped packing annuli 4, and to prevent the bottoms of the yieldable packing annuli being drawn away from their follower plates on the suction stroke, each disc la may have an annular rib l2 adapted for reception in an annular groove in the bottom of the-cooperating packing annulus 4.

When the follower plates 1 are clamped against the ends of the hub l, the discs 1a thus fit snugly against the bottoms of the packing annuli 4, and the packing annuli fit snugly around the peripheries of the discs Ia where the bottoms of the packing annuli merge into their side walls l5, but

l5c. Since it is only the outer ends of the side walls I 5 and not the bottoms of the packing annuli which radially flex on the pressure and suction strokes of the piston, the portions of the packing annuli which are subject to such flexing do not extend toward the bottoms of the packing annuli beyond the radial prolongation of the point llb, indicated at l5b--l5d, and consequently an appreciable space is maintained at l5c, between the discs in and the side walls l5 of the packing annuli, so that when the side walls l5 flex, the space l5c never becomes a mere crack such as might trap sand, but retains such size that any sand entering this space will be washed away without liability of clogging therein.

At the outer surfaces of the discs la, supporting arms 20 project longitudinally of the piston in circumferentially spaced relation, with said armspreferably flaring toward their outer ends and extending along the length of the flaring inner surfaces l5c of the side walls of the cupshaped packing annuli, preferably in radially spaced relation from saidflaring surfaces l5c, so as to form spaces l5c. The spaces between the circumferentially spaced arms 20 are without abrupt recesses, and communicate freely with the space l5c, so that the entire space which is thus provided forms neither pockets nor mere cracks in which sand might be trapped but is of adequate size to insure free circulation in the spaces between the arms 20 and in the spaces l5c and l5c, so that sand or the like is immediately washed away with no liability of clogging between the pacldng annulus and its follower plate.

The arms 20 of each follower plate support an abutment annulus M which longitudinally engages the abutment surface l6 of the cooperating cup-shaped packing annulus. The annular surface 2Ia of the abutment annulus which engages the inclined annular abutment surface I8 is inclined at a corresponding inclination, and the outer periphery of the abutment 2| preferably terminates radially just short of the outer periphery of its cooperating packing annulus. The extreme outer ends of the packing annuli thus form comparatively blunt lips 22 which project a slight distance radially beyond the abutments 2|.

During the pressure stroke at either end of the piston, fluid pressure indicated by arrow A (Fig. 3) expands the lip 22 as shown by arrow B, and the circumferential spacing of arms 20 permits fluid pressure being exerted against the tapering surfaces l5c of the cup-shaped packing annulus as shown by arrow C. The yieldable packing is thus radiallyexpanded both at its iii 22 and along the length of the packing annulus, but not beyond the line I5b-l 5d, with the flange 3 providing a longitudinal backing for the yieldable packing to insure its radial expansion responsive to fluid pressure. The bottom of the cup-packing is thus clamped tightly between the flange 3 and the disc 1a, with no liability of a crack being opened between the bottom of the cup-packing and the disc la since it is not this bottom but the side wall I 5 of the cup-packing which is subject to radial flexing, and along the side wall l5 where such flexing occurs the space l5c--l5e maintains a space greater than a mere crack and thus insures free circulation therein so that sand will be washed away as fast as it collects. As a' consequence there is no liability of sand lodging between the packing annulus and the follower plate, as would prematurely cut out the packing.

On the suction stroke, indicated by arrow A (Fig. 3) the suction may slightly radially contract the lip 22 as indicated by arrow B, due to the lip projecting radially slightly beyond the abutment 2|; and as a result of the space between the inner surface l5a of the side wall of the packing cup and the adjacent arms 20, the suction may slightly radially contract the side wall I! of the packing cup as indicated by arrow C with this radial flexing confined between the line I5b-l5d and the outer end of the side wall IS. The outer peripheral surface of the packing annulus may thus yield to a limited degree as indicated in exaggerated form by broken line D whereby the yieldable packing is relieved of excessive frictional contact with the cylinder wall, but at the same time suction exerted on the yieldable packing will force it longitudinally against the abut ment 2| as indicated by arrow E thereby holding the yieldable packing against excessive distortion responsive to suction, and as a result of the pressure thus exerted at the cooperating inclined abutment surfaces l6-2I a, the packing annulus is wedged along the inclined abutment surface 2| a so as to tend to radially outwardly displace the packing annulus. Thiswedging tendency opposes the tendency of the packing annulus to excessively radially contract responsive to suction exerted at arrows B and C and the yieldable packing is thereby positively held against excessive distortion, but may yield to such limited degree as will just relieve excessive frictional contact with the cylinder wall, while preventing such spacing of the packing annulus from the cylinder wall as would permit the lodgment of abrasives between the packing element and the cylinder wall, and with the space l5c-l5c maintained of such appreciable size as will insure free circulation therein and free circulation being also maintained in the relatively large spaces between the arms 20, so that there is no liability of abrasives lodging between the packing element and its follower plate.

I claim:

1. In combination, yieldable cup-shaped packing having a bottom and an annular side wall,

the inner surface of the side wall flaring toward its outer end and the side wall terminating at its outer end in a. rim having a surface at an appreciable angle to the flaring inner surface of the side wall and inclined slightly toward the bottom of the packing, and a follower including an abutment plate, supporting arms and an annular abutment, the abutment plate engaging the bottom of the packing, the supporting arms projecting longitudinally from the abutment plate in circumferentially spaced relation and extending along the side wall of the packing in radially spaced relation from its flaring inner surface, and the annular abutment being at the outer ends of the supporting arms and longitudinallyengaging the inclined surface of the rim of the packing and being inclined substantially in accordance with the inclinationof said inclined surface.

2. In combination, yieldable cup-shaped packing having a bottom and an annular side wall, the side wall terminating at its outer end in a rim having a surface inclined toward the bottom of the packing, and a follower including an abutment plate, supporting arms and an annular abutment, the abutment plate engaging the bottom of the packing, the supporting arms projecting longitudinally from the abutment plate in circumferentially spaced relation and extending along the annular side wall of the packing in radially spaced relation therefrom, and the annular abutment being at the outer ends of the supporting arms and longitudinally engaging the inclined surface of the rim of the packing.

3. In combination, yieldable cup-shaped packing having a bottom and an annular side wall, the side wall terminating at its outer end in a rim having a surface inclined toward the bottom of the packing, and a follower including an abutment plate, supporting arms and an annular abutment, the abutment plate engaging the bottom of the packing, the supporting arms projecting longitudinally from the abutment plate in circumferentially spaced relation and extending along the annular side wall of the packing, and the annular abutment being at the outer ends of the supporting arms and longitudinally engaging the inclined surface of the rim of the packing.

4. In combination, yieldable cup-shaped packing having a bottom and an annular side wall, the inner surface of the side wall flaring toward its outer end and the side wall terminating at its outer end in a rim having a surface at an appreciable angle to the flaring inner surface of the side wall and inclined slightly toward the bottom of the packing, and a follower including an abutment plate, supporting arms and an annular abutment, the abutment plate engaging the bottom of the packing, the supporting arms projecting longitudinally from the abutment plate in circumferentially spaced relation and extending along the annular side wall of the packing, and the annular abutment being at the outer ends of the supporting arms and longitudinally engaging the inclined surface of the rim of the packing and being inclined substantially in accordance with the inclination of said inclined surface, the flaring inner surface of the side wall of the packing being radially spaced from the supporting arms and being radially spaced from the peripheral surface of the abutment plate along at least that portion of the length of said peripheral surface which extends from the outer face of the abutment plate and which is the major portion of said length.

5. In combination, yieldable cup-shaped packing having a bottom and an annular side wall, the side wall terminating at its outer end in a rim having a surface inclined toward the bottom of the packing, and a follower including an abutment plate, supporting arms and an annular abutment, the abutment plate engaging the bottom of the packing, the supporting arms projecting longitudinally from the abutment plate in circumferentially spaced relation and extending along the annular side wall of the packing, and the annular abutment being at the outer ends of the supporting arms and longitudinally engaging the inclined surface of the rim of the packing, the inner surface of the side wall of the packing being radially spaced from the peripheral surface of the abutment plate along at least that portion of the length of said peripheral surface which extends from the outer face of the abutment plate.

6. A follower for a cup-shaped packing which has a rim at the outer end of the side wall of the cup having a surface inclined toward the bottom of the cup,.the follower including an abutment plate, supporting arms and an annular abutment, the abutment plate being adapted to engage the bottom of the packing, the supporting arms projecting longitudinally from the abutment plate in circumferentially spaced relation and being adapted to extend along the side wall of the cup in radially spaced relation therefrom, and the annular abutment being at the outer ends of the supporting arms and adapted to longitudinally engage the inclined surface of the rim of the cup.

'7. A follower for a cup-shaped packing whichhas a rim at the outer end of the side wall of the cup having a surface inclined toward the bottom of the cup, the follower including an abutment plate, supporting arms and an annular abutment, the abutment plate being adapted to engage the bottom of the packing, the supporting arms projecting longitudinally from the abutment plate in circumferentially spaced relation and being adapted to extend along the side wall of the cup and the annular abutment being at the outer ends of the supporting arms and adapted to longitudinally engage the inclined surface of the rim of the cup.

JOHN W. MACCLATCHIE. 

